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Thoughts of an Agoraphobic on Independence Day
by Stephen Price (July 4, 2006)
I must admit that when I had agoraphobia, July 4th was not
my favorite holiday. That's mainly because the thought of
flashing bright lights in the sky followed by the sound of
explosions didn't excite me in my overly-anxious state.
I hid in the house for at
least two Fourths of July.
However, as I
reflect on the Fourth of July that is coming up in a few
days, I see it in a whole new way. As a recovered
agoraphobic, I find inspiration from its themes of winning
freedom and independence.
The Fourth of
July is a time to celebrate the people who fought for our
freedom and independence at all costs. They wouldn't settle
for living their lives under an oppressive regime. Nobody
offered them their freedom. Freedom was something they
created for themselves.
That's how it was with my
recovery from agoraphobia. Freedom was something I had to
find for myself. It was a decision I made. I
didn't find a magic pill or quick fix. I didn't wait for
agoraphobia to go away on its own. I just decided that I
could no longer live my life under its oppression.
You can make the same decision.
I can tell you from both
experience and years of study that there is no easy way out
of agoraphobia. The good news is, you can recover.
The journey to freedom
from agoraphobia is
often taken one hard step at a time. There may be setbacks
and discouragements. There may be days when everything seems
dark, and that you will never live a
normal life free of anxiety again. I felt these things, and
I am writing to tell you there is life on the other side.
I started the Agoraphobia
Resource Center because I would like to be a partner in your
journey to personal freedom. My goal is to improve the
quality of life for people who suffer from agoraphobia.
As a recovered
agoraphobic, I would like to bring you both information and
inspiration to help you on your way to recovery.
I am still working on
getting all of the information I would like posted on the
site. I have shared my personal story with you in an e-book
available in the resources section. Next, I am working on
another e-book, "The Agoraphobia Treatment Guide" that will
help you make informed decisions about your own recovery.
These things are just the
beginning. If you have any ideas of how the needs of people
suffering from agoraphobia could be better met online please
let me know. You can email me any time at:
stephen@agoraphobia.ws
Here's to
your freedom and independence. I wish you all my best this
Fourth of July!
Sincerely,
Stephen Price
Recovered Agoraphobic
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